While numerous comedy fans and professionals have tweeted messages condemning Tosh's response to the female heckler, some comedy figures, including Jim Norton, Louis C.K. and Opie of The Opie & Anthony Show, have expressed support for Tosh and for a comedians' right to speak uncensored.

Dane Cook, who performed at The Laugh Factory on the same night as Tosh, had a darker message: easily offended people should kill themselves.

Not familiar with Anthony Jeselnik but his tweet was the worst I've seen.

It's free speech, but there are consequences. Clearly, the community of comedians value free speech rather than the trauma it inflict on some audience members.

Comedians learn that you can't tailor your act to appease everyone, so they write of some potential audiences. Audiences that don't like rape jokes don't buy their stuff, so either they stop doing it or they don't care or notice this absence because these people weren't part of their audience and they keep doing it.

I don't see the problem and outrage. They're free to boycott Tosh and all the rest, but I don't think this is turning into the teachable moment but more a conflict that will make people stick to their current position.

Anthony Jeselnik was featured on some of the later Comedy Central Roasts.

Can't say I'm surprised all these dude comedians are rushing to Tosh's defense. I remember some controversy over that Jim Norton person yukking it up over how ~fat and ugly~ some female convention goers were, not shocking he would say anything in defense of rape jokes.

I think his tweet was a sarcastic reply to @kumailn's tweet, which was downplaying Tosh's remark. MIB's tweet has been deleted, but @kumailn didn't delete his, and he retweeted MIB's tweet

Kumail Nanjiani ‏@kumailnDo any of you truly believe Tosh would think it was funny if a rape happened in front of him? No. None of you do. It's called sarcasm.2:13 AM - 12 Jul 12 via Twitter for Android